Kashgar

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After most of Saturday being devoted to packing (minus one phone) ATM, Checking out, arriving at the Airport nice and early, long lunch, 1 ½ hour flight, arrived in Kashgar 4pm Beijing time. Here's confusion, some like to use the international/local time and others Beijing time the difference being 2 hours. The 2pm flight, 12pm, was $180.00 the next flight, 4pm, 2pm was $300.00 check with the locals or on line as a cheap flight was about $118.00 . The same trip by bus, 20 hrs and although there are fairly regular stops some would need a catheter, or 25hrs by train and listening to a random Aussie a fairly painful trip. However in the interests of a bit of gruelling travel my bus and train time is nigh as is severely down grading the accommodation stars. Have at least moved from 5 star to 4, kidding, from 4 to 3 star, a reasonable 3 star coming in at about $70. I should be well and truly finished the rambling by the time I get to the $5 dormitory!

This was pretty much make or break time, I need some help, I need some English speaking guiding, I need somebody to help me fossick around the intricacies of Western China. I had been mailing a couple of local Kashgar guide groups, who suggested I pop in when I got there and they will help sort something out, encouraging, so the plan was to get right on it after checking in.

Map in hand, destination circled by Hotel fixer, I was tackled by a smooth looking tout, Come into my office, a dingy threadbare affair, and see what we have. His name was Abdul, a local Uyghur, ran a plan and we have been together ever since.

Kashgar, a city of over 300,000 and 4.8 million in the prefecture, 90%!U(MISSING)yghur's. 1st impressions on arrival were very favourable, lots of traditional dress, street stalls, livestock, a very ethnic looking city

Sunday was sorted, the 1^st stop was to be the animal market, however was raining quite heavily so off to a historical tomb, where I was treated to a head spinning rendition of thousands of years of Invaders, Tyrants, Warlords, Chinese in, Chinese out, Wikipedia does it well, who was in or ousted and when.

The rain had stopped so off to the animal market next as the rain had stopped, which was so much fun to walk around. The stock arrived in all manner of contraption, all tethered, and haggled over on the spot. Looking at all the weathered, smiling, happy to be doing their business faces, bartering, catching up, having tea breaks, tolerating the tourists.

My little team of driver and guide have got the grazing management well sorted so there’s never too long between meals, although we could just fit in a Silk carpet/ Jade factory before lunch as the music with lunch does not begin till 12pm, Ok.

The Grand Bazaar after lunch, was a revelation, the beautiful colours were breath taking. I came out with an arm load of beautiful silk scarves, a tea chest of the softest most colourful blankets was close, I had a lot of fun doing just a little bit of shopping. After a full team effort to replace a lost cell phone, it was suggested I might like a wee rest before dinner, I was all over that, from 0 to flat out in a day, I was buggered although I spent the time playing with the photos instead.

The finale for the day was a lovely meal at a local restaurant, slightly spicy chicken, beautiful vegetables with a smattering of spaghetti, the Uyghur version is that Marco Polo took spaghetti back to Italy.

Tomorrow Bo we go for Drive, see some beautiful scenery and other minorities in the mountains, music to my ears

I’m in.

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Photos

Old men and boys
a couple of generations off doing something else

Comments

[Kaye]

the ram lamb turns Poodle...
Not only it seems on "mass" is prevalent, but the need for absolute perfection. Have you found this to be the case as you travel through this beautifully colourful country that holds on to the many magical traditions of yesteryear?